


Forest

by ruby_shooting_stars



Series: Ten Short Stories [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: I promise it's not this bad, I was pretty young when I wrote it and just wanted to get out of the way, It's kinda old, It's more fluffy, Light Angst, M/M, Suicide Attempt, Trans Character, enjoy, forest, here ya go
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-13 22:48:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11770029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ruby_shooting_stars/pseuds/ruby_shooting_stars
Summary: Darek Williams was pulled into the social life without his consent, and sometimes, he just needs to relax in the forest by his home.But with something unexpected occurring, he must say he's glad he's been playing football.





	Forest

**Author's Note:**

> I had a small challenge for myself to write 10 original short stories during the summer. I wrote the first two quickly, but then got in a huge lag because of the many activities I have. I have a month left before school starts, even less because of other activities during that time.  
> Having somewhere to actually put things onto really helps my concentration, so I'll be uploading them here!
> 
> Also I wrote the beginning (or the main idea of the beginning) when I was, like 12, please don't judge. I found something I wrote and said 'huh it helps me with short stories why not' and went for it.

The earthy smell of the pine forest filled his soul and the gentle birdsong overtook his mind. It was a humid spring day, and Darek couldn’t ask for more.

He took a deep breath and puffed up, determined to explore a nook he hadn’t seen yet. His football practice was light, and he had plenty of energy that sunday afternoon. He’d never gone in a particular direction, mainly because it was close to the highway. How could someone who loved this forest not know even the ugly parts of it? 

He ambled along the roots and weeds, taking in the atmosphere. It was so still that if he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine that civilization didn’t exist. A breeze ruffled his dark hair and a sigh escaped his lips. 

This was heaven.

Here, he didn’t have to pretend to be someone he wasn’t. He didn’t have to be the popular boy everyone in Oak High School expected him to be. He didn’t have to pretend to care about drama, and he could imagine that he wasn’t the topic of many rumors floating around. He didn’t have to be cautious, or strong, or anything in particular.

He could just be Darek Williams.

 

He heard a honk and jumped out of his thoughts. He was getting pretty close. With every step, the noises of the road kept getting stronger and stronger, a gasoline stench filling the air.

The world suddenly became devoid of trees and turned into civilization once again. The movement of the cars entranced him, and he stood there for a while until he saw a slower flicker of motion near the road.

He looked closer at the dark shape and Darek’s eyes widened in shock. It was obvious what the human wanted to do. No one stood that close to the road, bunched up and about to run, if they didn’t have intent.

At that moment, he thanked all gods, known and unknown, for how football honed his instincts. He ran, tackling the figure as far away from the road as humanly possible.

The person gasped as the two of them hit the ground, eyes wide. Darek lay there, arms wrapped tightly around the waist of the person, recovering from the sudden exertion. After one last breath he looked up and saw a pair of peculiar eyes. One was blue, and one was green, and they were both staring at him. 

It was hard to determine the gender of the person before him. Their hair was light and skin pale. They were probably malnourished, from the weight he encountered, but it was hard to tell for sure underneath the hoodie they wore. Their face shape was soft, but their eyes hard and scrutinizing. 

“Why’d you do that?”

The cautious voice snapped Darek out of observing. He moved himself off the figure, sitting between them and the road. Putting on a firm but indifferent voice, he said, “Well, several reasons.” The person’s brows furrowed. “First, I didn’t want to witness a death-” the figure cringed, “-and two, instinct. That satisfy you?” The words were slightly sharper than intended.

The teen nodded slowly, not quite meeting Darek’s eyes. “You’re from Oak High, right? I’ve seen you around.”

Darek blinked, before huffing a laugh, surprising them. “I’m not observant whatsoever and my memory is horrid, so forgive me when I say I don’t recognize you.” Quickly glancing at his watch, he stood up. “Let’s go back to the woods. It’s much quieter there.” He stuck out a hand and it took a moment for the teen to register it was to help him stand up. They hesitated, before taking the leap and accepting the hand.

Once they stood, instead of letting go of their hand, Darek held it tight as he led the figure away from the road and into the forest.

Slowly but surely, the world went quiet around them, as though they were entering a different world where people couldn’t bother them. That was one of the reasons Darek liked the forest so much.

The figure stirred from their silence when a deer pranced into the bushes near their path. “I’m surprised you’re in this forest.” Their tone was almost accusatory.

Darek looked back, never missing a step, eyebrow raised. “I live near here,” he said, as if it explained it all.

“Aren’t you a football player?”

“So?”

They shifted their shoulders uncomfortably, slowing down their steps. “Football players aren’t ones to be alone.”

Darek looked at them for a bit before turning his head back to the front with a huff. “That’s very stereotypical.”

They didn’t respond.

Darek still held their hand until they arrived at his favorite clearing. There was a very small pond in the middle of it, and at this time of day it sparkled magically.

He let go, quickly sticking his hand into his jacket pocket. He wanted to keep the warmth.

The teen, too, put their hands into their hoodie, pulling down on it to cover their face a bit more. “It’s quite nice,” they said quietly.

Darek grinned. “It’s not my favorite place for nothing.” He plopped down on a boulder, patting the spot next to him. “There’s always a nice breeze here.”

They hesitated, as always, before joining him up on the rock. Their actions always had a small bit of caution in them, and it showed as they curled up once they sat down.

Darek watched a bird, avoiding looking at them, quite conscious of the person next to him. He’d have to quickly react if they chose to run. Most would get lost here.

“You’re always with people at school,” they spoke up, obviously not done with the previous topic. Their voice almost curled around Darek in the midst of a fur-like silence.

Darek shifted, putting his head on his knee. “We’re friends.”

“Then why are you alone on a Sunday?”

“Because I like it,” he answered quickly.

Darek could almost feel the confusion and exasperation radiating off the teen. “Then why do you play football?”

Darek glanced at them, experiencing a little shock from their multi colored eyes. “Because I like it.”

A breeze interrupted the silence between them. Darek decided to change the topic at least a little. “What’s your name?”

A pause. “Leo.” It was soft, and the silence encircling them made it feel that much more personal.

Darek blinked. “So you’re a boy,” he said.

Leo tilted his head, eyebrows and corners of his mouth twitching down for a moment. “What do you mean?”

Darek looked back at the reeds on the other side of the pond. “I couldn’t tell.”

Leo shifted a bit, and Darek was surprised that he shifted towards him. “Lots of people just assume I’m a girl.” Leo huffed a bitter laugh. “Everything about me is feminine, isn’t it?” The phrase was filled with quite a bit of hatred.

_ That must bother him, _ Darek thought, humming a bit.

Leo let a silence lapse, but obviously couldn’t keep his thoughts in. “Aren’t you going to comment?”

Darek quickly glared at him. “I was about to, but I guess I won’t now.”

Leo puffed up his chest. “I’d very much like to know what you’re thinking,  _ Darian. _ ”

Darek laughed, stifling it quickly. Leo, confused, watched him intently. “Well,” Darek said, “at first, I thought that must bother you.” Leo’s eyes widened. “And then I thought that your eyes just don’t look feminine. I probably would’ve thought you were a girl if not for the look in your eyes.”

“Really?” It was a small word, with lots of mixed emotion in it.

Darek nodded.

Leo sighed, tension released. Darek couldn’t help but look at him in surprise. “No one believes I’m a boy,” he murmured, “Everyone just assumes I’m a girl. It hurts.”

Darek didn’t have a direct answer to that. “It’s not quite the same, but no one believes I’m a football boy who likes to be alone.”

Darek looked at Leo, who had a mixture of surprise, understanding, and awe on his face. It made Darek smile.

“I think we can be ourselves in the forest, right?”

 

After talking for more than three hours, the two of them made a plan to meet up at Darek’s house again soon. They walked back to where Leo could find his way home from, and parted with a wave.

As the two of them split apart, Darek impulsively decided to drop one bomb on Leo, and called out, “My name is Darek!”

Leo swiveled around. “Huh?!”

**Author's Note:**

> Some people ask for notes, some people for comments.  
> I, for CRITISICM  
> PLS I WANT TO BE A BETTER WRITER  
> Even if it's a small spelling error or grammar error, please bring it to my attention! If it didn't flow well, tell me!  
> PLEASE
> 
> Thank you, ruby bean OUT


End file.
